Method of and apparatus for sheathing sugar filter bags



J. H. WEBSTER. 2 Sheets--Sheet 1.

Patented' 001:. 7, 1884,

(No Model.)

METHOD 0F AND APPARATUS FOR 'SHEATHING SUGAR FILTER BAGS. No. 306,299. v

2 Sneets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

J. E. WEBSTER. METHOD OP AND APPARATUS POR SHEATHING SUGA N0.'306,299.

R FILTER BAGS.

Patented Oct. 7, 1884.

WTNEESEEI ww Wwf@ www' linirrnn bl'rnrns Farrar Urraca.

JOHN H. VEBSTER, 0F BOSTON, llIASSAGHUSETTS.

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR SHEATI-HNG SUGAR FILTER BAGS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent NQSOQZEBQ, dated October 7,1884.

Application filed April 111, 1834.

.To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, Jon-N H. Wnns'rnn, of Boston, in the county ofSuffolk aud State of Massachusetts, have invented certain lmprovementsin Method of and Apparat-us for Sheathing Sugar Filter Bags, ofwhich'ihe following is a specification.

This invention has for its object to provide an improved method ofinserting the canvas bags used in sugar-refineries for filtering thesugar or liquor into the canvas sheaths or casings which contain saidbags during the iiltering operation.

The filter-bags are usually several feet in length, and when in use aresuspended from nozzles in the bottom of a reservoir or tank containingthe sugar-liquor, and receive the liquor which percolates through themeshes ofthe bags, leaving its impurities therein. After several hours7use the bags become so clogged or choked by the accumulated impuritiesthat they have to be removed and washed. Then the bags are in use,eachis contained in a stout woven sheath oi' smaller diameter than the bag,the sheath preventing the pressure of the column of liquor fromdistending the bag and thus choking its meshes er pores. Then the arewashed,they have to be withdrawn from their sheaths and reA placedtherein after Washing. r

The operation of replacing the iilter-bags in their sheaths is one ofconsiderable magnitude in consideration ofthe large number employed andof the fact that the bags are larger than the sheaths and therefore haveto be reduced to a compact form before they can enter the sheaths. Inmany refineries the bags are inserted in their sheaths by a workman whogathers the bag intolongitudinal folds to make it compact, throws itover his shoulder, and then holding the sheath and manipulating thesheath and bag gradually work thelatter into the former.

Other :methods equally primitive and slow prevail at other refineries,but invariably, so i'ar as I am aware, the method prior to my inventionhas been so slow and laborious that the need of a more rapid andeffective method has long been felt.

My improved method consists in drawing the bag into a tubularreceptacle, which gives 'the bag the desired eompactncss, and then (Nomodel.)

ejectiug the` compacted bag into the sheath, the end of the latterbeingheld over the mouth of the tube.

The invention also consists in the provision of means for alternatelydrawing the bag into and ejecting it from the tube by alternatelyexhausting the air from and admitting it to the interior of the tube,the latter being arranged vertically with its receiving end at 'thebottom, so that when the air is exhausted it will elevate a pistonprovided with clamps which grasp the upper end of the bag, and when theair is admitted the piston and bag will fall by gravitation, the bagbeing thus inserted in the sheath.

The invention also consists in certain details of construction, all ofwhich l will now proceed to describe.

Of the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification,Figure l represents a side elevation of an apparatus embodying myinvention. Fig. 2 represents a vertical section of the same. Fig. 3representsavertical section of a portion ofthe apparatus,show ing thebag at the commencement of its upward movement. Fig. Ll represents avertical section showing the sh rath applied to the lower end of thetube and the bag in its downward movement into the sheath. l representmodifications.

The same letters of reference indicate the same parts in all thefigures.

In carrying out my invention I provide a tube, c, of suitable length tocontain a lterbag. Said tube is supported by any suitable meansinasubstantially vertical position, with an unobstructed-vel'tical spacebelow yits lower end equal to the length of the filter-bag.

'Within the tube c is a piston, I), which fits the interior of the tubesomewhat closely, and l is adapted to slide therein. The piston isprovided with deviccs, hereinafter described, for grasping the upper endof a Iilter-bag, c, and is connected by a chain or other flexibledevice, d, with a support, c, at the upper end of Figs. l and the tube,the chain supporting the piston when it drops to the lower portion ofthe tube, as shown in Fig. 2. From the upper portion of the tube extendsa pipe, f, through which the air may be exhausted from the tube. Saidtube may communi cate with any suitable eXhausti ng apparatusmsuch as asteam ejector or injector,

e 'l y 306,299

or, if desired, an air-pump. Ihave employed a Korting exhauster withgood results, the air being set in motion and exhausted from the tube bythe motion of thc steam through the exhauster, in a manner well knownand understood. The pipe f is provided with a selfclosing valve, g,which automatically shuts off the tube a from the air-exhaustingapparatus, and is controlled by an operating -rod, lz., adapted to beeasily reached by the operator at the lower end of the tube.

In the operation of the apparatus the upper end of a filter-bag isgrasped by the grasping devices of the piston, and the valve g is openedby the operator. The valve may be secured in an open position as long asthe operator desires by the engagement of the handle h of theoperating-rod It with a slotted ear, z', on the side of the tube a, asshown in Fig. 3. The air is at once exhausted from the tube by theexhauster, which operates continuously. The partial vacuum thus producedraises the pistonto the upper portion of the tube and holds it there aslong as the valve g remains open. 5 The bagc is thus drawn into thetube, and is compressed or folded into the desired compact form by theinner surface of the tube. Vhilc the bag is thus raised and held, theoperator places a sheath, j, over the lower end of the o tube a, asshown in Fig. et, and then releases the operating-rod 71 thus allowingthe valve g --fto close. Air being then admitted into t-he tube abovethe piston, as hereinafter described, the piston is released and fallswith the bag 5 c until arrested by the chain d, the bag being thusinserted neatly and smoothly into the sheath.

, The grasping devices with which the piston is provided are a series offin-gers, 7c, pivoted n at Z to an extension of the piston b, andprovidedwith short arms 7c at their upper ends, against which bears abolt or plunger, m, which is adapted to slide in a cavit f, o, in thepiston, and is pressed downwardly by a spring, n, in saidcavity. Thepressure of the plunger m on the arms 7c throws the fingers 7a outwardlywhen they are below the lower end of the'tube, as shown in Fig. 2. Thelingers are thus in an open condition when the end of the i bag isplaced between them before it is drawn into the tube, and said fingersare forced inwardly and caused to grasp the bag by the inner surface ofthe tube when the piston commences its upward movement. Vhen the pistondrops, the lingers emerge from the lower end of the tube, and are causedby the spring n to release the bag when the latter is fully inserted inits sheath. The action of the fingers in grasping and releasing the bagis therefore automatic. The piston is provided with'a shell orreceptacle, p, at its upper end, which receives the chain d as thepiston rises, and thus prevents the chain from rubbing against the innersurface of the tube. The support e, to which the upper end of the chainis attached, is a screwthreaded rod passing through a smooth-sur-` facedaperture or guidein the upper end or head a of the tube a, and providedabove said head with a nut, g, resting on a spring, r, which isinterposed between the nut q and head a. Said spring cushions the rod orsupport e, and prevents a shock or jar when the piston is arrested inits downward movement by the chain. The threaded rod e and its nutenable the chain to be adjustedso as to support the piston at anydesired height when it is at rest. The head a is provided with airholess, which are covered by the spring r, the latter being a block or ringof rubber. A spiral spring, z, located in a casing, a, pressesdownwardly on the nut q, and presses the spring r downwardly on the heada, the spring r serving as a valve covering the orifices t. The pistonin its upward movement strikes an enlargement or spider, e', on the rodc, and raises said rod with the valve or spring fr, thereby uncoveringthe air-holes s s. Air is thus admitted, which breaks the vacuum andpartially checks the upward movement of the piston. Said movement isadditionally checked by the spiral spring t, which resists the upwardmovement of the rod e. These two instrumentalities cause the piston tostop quickly without any violent concussion. The spring t presses thevalve or spring ragainst its seat when the upward movement that thepiston cannot drop until the air is admitted to -the tube.

x represents a pipe adapted to admit air to the tube for the purpose ofreleasing the piston. Said pipe has a, self-closing valve, g', havingoperating devices similar to those provided for the valve g, theoperator being thus enabled to open the valve and admit air to the upperportion of t-he tube when he is ready for of the piston is arrested, andthus closes the air-holes s s, so

IOO

the piston and compressed bag to ,drop into l the sheath.

The rapidity of the downward movement of the piston may be regulated bymeans of an adjustable cap or nut. o, adapted to cover to any desiredextent air-holes w in the outer portion of the tube the rapidity of thedownward movement of the piston increasing in proportion to the extentto which said holes arc uncovered. A binding screw or check y positivelyholds the cap o in any position to which it may be adjusted.

The described apparatus performs the operation of sheathing lter-bagsmuch more rapidly than any means used heretofore.

I do not limit myself to the details of construction above described,nor to the employment of air-exhausting apparatus as a means for drawingthe bag into the tube, as a mechanical device or plunger may be employedfor the same purpose without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Figs. 1L and l" show a lever, 7L', pivoted to the ltube a and engaged atopposite sides of the rods h 7L, by which the valves g and g are opened.The operator, by

depressing either IIO end ot' the lever h, causes that end to pull downthe rod h engaged therewith, and thus open the valve to which said rodpertains. The lever 71, has a weighted offset, h3, which acts to holdthe lever when it is inclined, and thus prevents the spring of theopened valve from acting to close the valve. -When the lever is in ahorizontal position, its weight has no effect. i p

rlhe valve g is not essential, and may be omitted. rlhe apparatus willoperate it' air is admitted continuously through the holes lw into thetube while the piston is being raised.

l claim* l. The improved method of sheathing or incasing filter-bags,consist-ing in drawing the bag into a tube and therebyT compressing it,and then ejecting the compressed bag from said tube into a sheath, asset forth.

2. Atube adapted to receive and compress a filter-bag, combined withmeans for inserting such bag into the tube and means for ejecting ordischarging it therefrom into the sheath, as set forth.

3. A tube adapted to receive and compress a filter-bag, combined with apiston adapted to move in said tube, and provided with means for holdingthe bag and means for exhausting the air from the tube above the piston,as set forth.

l. The combination of a tube adapted to receive and compress a lter-bagand provided at its upper end with a pipe con1munieating with anair-exhausting apparatus, a valve whereby the tube may be put incommunication with or shut oft' from the exhausting apparatus, andapiston adapted to slide in the tube and provided with bag-holdingdevices, as set forth.

5. The combination of a tube adapted to receive and compress afilterAbag and pro vided at its upper end with a pipe communieating withan airexhausting apparatus, a self-closing valve for said pipe, anoperating rod or device, whereby said valve may be opened, meansywhereby said valve may bc heldin an open position, and apiston adaptedto move in said tube and provided with bagholding devices, as set forth.

6. The tube and means for exhausting air therefrom, combined with thepiston provided with bag holding devices, and a chain or equivalentflexible device connecting the piston with a support at the upperportion of the tube, as set forth.

7. The tube and means for exhausting air therefrom, combined with thepiston provided vwith bag-hohling devices, a chain or equivalentflexible device connected to the piston,

' and a support for the upper end of said chain bearing on a spring orcushion, whereby the jar attending the fall of the piston relieved, asset forth.

S. The combination of the tube, the supporting-chain, and the pistonhaving a rccep tacle for said chain, as set forth.

9. The combination of the tube with the piston having the pivotedgrasping-fingers normally thrown outwardly or separated bysliiring-pressure and adapted to be moved inwardly by contact with thetube when the piston is raised, as set forth.

l0. The combination of the tube, the bagraising piston, air-exhaustingapparatus communicating with the tube, air-inlets at the upper portionof the tube, a valve adapted to normally cover the air-inlets andprovided with a rod or stem adapted to be raised by the upward movementof the piston and thereby admit air to check said movement, and aspring, whereby the upward movement of the piston is additionallychecked, as set forth.

1l. The tube having the bag-raisi1ig piston, combined with airexhausting apparatus, whereby the piston may be raised in the tube, andan adjustable air-inlet, whereby the rate of downward movement ofthepiston may be regulated, as set forth.

l2. The combination of the tube, an air-exhausting apparatus therefor,the bag-raising piston,` and an air-inlet pipe having a valve, wherebyair may be admitted to the tube to release the raised piston, as setforth.

'ln testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification, inthe presence of two subscribing witnesses, this 10th day of April, 1884.

JOHN H. WEBSTER.

Witnesses:

C. F. BRowN, A. L. Wi-rrrii.

